Time controlled switch mechanism



u y w 1946.1 R. w; LOVER'NG Y 2,403,615?

TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 56, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Reuben W. Lowering 12 54 1 1 25 19 is 4'2 ttorngs July RQW. LvERiNe2,403,667

TIME cqmnoLLEn SWITCH MECHANISM Fiied Dec. so, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I'qveqtor Reuben W. Levering Attotmas Patented July 9, 1946 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFlCE 2,403,667 TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH MECHANISM ReubenW. Levering, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application December 30, 1943, Serial No. 516,163

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to time controlled switch mechanisms and has for anobject to provide a time controlled switch mechanism, the operation ofwhich can be readily reversed.

An object of the invention resides in providing a time controlled switchmechanism which can be made to either open a circuit at a predeterminedtime or which can be made to close a circuit at a predetermined time.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a time controlledswitch mechanism which. will function when set in operation to maintaina circuit closed for a predetermined length of time and then open thecircuit, or which can be reversed in operation to maintain the circuitopen for a predetermined length of time and then close the circuit.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a mountingmovable in opposite directions and in supporting a switch thereon in amanner to cause opening and closing of the switch upon movement of themounting in opposite directions.

A feature of the invention resides in providing a switch mechanism ofsuch character in which the switch may be reversed in position upon themounting to cause reversal in operation of the switch upon movement ofthe mounting.

Another object of the invention resides in pivot ally supporting theswitch upon the mounting to permit of end to end movement of the switchto procure reversal in operation of the switch.

A still further object of the invention resides in utilizing a mercuryswitch attached to a swingable support adapted to be moved to tilt theswitch from open to closed position and vice versa and in furthersupporting the switch on the mounting in such a manner that the switchmay be turned end for end so as to procure reversal in operation of theswitch.

Another object of the invention resides in pivotally supporting theswitch on the mounting for movement through an angle of 180, so as toprocure end for end movement of the switch, whereby reversal inoperation of the switch is procured.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterillustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a clock with. a switch mechanismillustrating an embodiment of my invention applied thereto and showing aportion of the case of the clock broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the switch in reversedposition.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. l, withportions of the case removed to illustrate the construction of theswitch and supporting structure therefor.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 withportions of the case and other parts cut away to illustrate the controldevice for the switch and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l of a modification of th invention.

Fig. 6 is a'fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 of the structure shown inFig. 5.

In the operation of radios and other electrical appliances, it becomesdesirable at times to turn on the appliances at a predetermined time, asfor example, to turn on the heat under a cooking utensil or to turn onthe radio at the time scheduled for a certain program. At other times,it becomes desirable to turn ofi an electric circuit at a desired time.In the cooking of certain foods. it may be desirable to cook the samefor a certain length of time and then turn off the current. Likewise, itmay become desirable to turn oiif the radio at the end of a certainprogram. The instant invention provides a time controlled switchmechanism which may be readily applied to a clock and means by whicheither of these functions can be readily procured by the simple andrapid manipulation of the proper control elements thereof.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of my invention, I haveshown in the drawings an ordinary clock l0 in the nature of an alarmclock which may be electrically operated or spring operated, as desired.Inasmuch as the invention does not consist in the construction of theclock, the same has not been shown in detail, though it can be readilycomprehended that any suitable clock mechanism such as are now wellknown in the art, may be used for the purpose. The clock It] showncomprises a case I! having a front wall l2, a rear wall l3 and end wallsM and I5 connected together by a curved upper wall [6. The case H issupported on a base 9. Within the case is disposed a clock mechanismindicated in its entirety by the reference character ll, bestillustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. This clock mechanism comprises a frontframe 2'! and a rear frame 28 held in spaced relation by means of posts29 in the customary manner. The said clock mechanism includes an hourhand sleeve l3 and a minute hand arbor l9 concentrically mounted forrotation carrying the usual minute hand 2| and the hour hand 22, bothmovable over a dial 23 formed on the front wall 12 of case II and whichserves as the face of the clock. These hands are driven by the usualclock gear train which is not shown in the drawings.

The clock mechanism I1 further includes an arbor 24 which is similar tothe arbor of an alarm clock used for timing the operation of the alarm.This arbor is journaled in th frames 21 and 28 of the clock. mechanisml1 and protrudes outwardly from the rear wall I3 of the case i i, beingprovided with a knob 31 by means of which the same may be rotated. Asuitable friction mechanism, not shown, mounted on arbor 24, holds thesame in position when manually set. Mounted on the end of the arbor 24is a hub 25 which has attached to it a finger 26 extendin outwardlytherefrom. This finger is adapted to en gage a barrel cam 32 slidablymounted on the arbor 24 and attached to a gear 33. The gear 33 is drivenfrom a pinion 34 which is mounted on an arbor 35 driven from the geartrain of the clockwork H. The cam 32 has an elevated cam surface 35formed with a notch 39 therein. The cam 32 is held in engagement withthe finger 26 by means of a leaf spring 31 which is attached to theframe 2! by means of a rivet This leaf spring is flexed so as to urgethe cam 32 toward the finger 26 and is provided at its end with a lug 39which projects through a suitable opening 4| "in the frame 21 andextends into the space between the two frames 21 and 28. he pinion 34 isof such length that the gear 33 may slide axially relative to the sameand cause the said gear to remain at all times in mesh with the teeth ofsaid pinion. When the-cam 32 is rotated, and the finger 25 reaches thenotch 36, said cam slides axially on arbor 24 through the action of thespring 31 and lug 39 is rapidly moved in a direction towards the face ofthe clock. The time at which such action takes place is controlled bythe position of the arbor 24 which is provided at its outer end with ahand 42 movable with reference to' a dial 43, formed on the front walll2 of the clock.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 comprises a mounting indicatedin its entirety by the reference numeral 44. This mounting consists ofan arm 46 which is brazed or otherwise secured to an arbor 41. The arbor41 is journaled in the frames 21 and 28. A boss 48 extends upwardly fromthe arm. at the locality of the arbor 41 and is threaded to receive ascrew 49. The screw 49 passes through the base of a U-shaped spring clip51 which is rotatably mounted on said screw and which is frictionallyheld in position thereby.

The clip 5| receives and supports a mercury switch 50. This switchincludes a tube 52 of glass or other suitable insulating material havingcontacts 53 and 54 at one end and a globule of mereury 55 movable fromone end of the tube to the other. When the switch 59 is tilted to theposi tion shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the mercury flows away from thecontacts 53 and 54 and opens the switch. When the switch is tilted tothe position shown in dotted lines in 1, the mercury bridges across thecontacts 53 and 54 and closes the switch.

Attached to the under side of the arm 46 is a depending member 55 whichhas a projection 51 extending angularly therefrom and adapted to restupon the lug 39 of spring 31 when the same is in its innermost position.The lug 39 and spring 31 serve as a. latching means which operates tohold the arm 45 in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. A weightBl), attached to the end of the arm 45, tends to move said arm to itsdotted-line position shown in Fig. 1 in which the switch 59 is in itscorresponding dotted-line position and closed. It will be readilycomprehended that as the gear 33 rotates, the finger 26 passes along thesurface 35 of cam 3?. and finally enters the notch 35. When this occurs,lug 39 is withdrawn from engagement with the projection 51 and the arm46 operated through action of the weight 65 moves the switch from theone position to the other.

The switch 59 may be rotated about the axis of the screw 49 by means ofa shaft 58 having a thumb piece 59 secured to the end of the same. Thisshaft is attached to a U-shapcd spring clip 3| similar to the clip 5|which extends over the clip 51 and operates in unison therewith. Theshaft 58 extends through a slot 62 in the upper wall iii of case H andmoves along this slot from one extreme position to the other as shown inFig. 1. The clip 51 carrying the switch 55 may be rotated by means ofshaft 58 and the thumb piece 53 from the position shown in Fig. 1 tothat shown in 2. When at the latter position, the tube 5'2 is turned endfor end and the operation of the switch is reversed. When the parts aredisposed as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the switch 50 is open. Whenthe parts are arranged as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the switch isclosed. When the parts are moved to the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. l, the switch is closed and when moved to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 2. the switch is open. Thus, it will become readilycomprehended that the switch may be moved so as to procure reversal inoperation thereof by rotating the same through an angle of about theaxis of the screw 49.

To limit movement of the switch 59, a pin 53 is provided on the underside of the clip 5|. This pin is adapted to engage either of two lugs 64projecting outwardly from the hub 48. When the switch is turned toeither position, the pin 63 11mits the movement of. the switch to eitherof its operating positions. The disposition of the switch 55 can beindicated by constructing the thumb piece 59 in the form of an arrow, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, and by placing upon the upper wall 16 of thecase suitable characters indicating the function of the switch when thethumb piece 59 points in either direction.

The switch after having been released by the cioclr mechanism, must bemanually reset. For this purpose, the thumb piece 59 and the shaft 58are employed. Resetting occurs when the said shaft and thumb piece aremoved from the dotted-line positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to thefull-line positions shown in said figures. Inasmuch as such movement ofthe arm 45 occurs when the lug 39 is in its innermost position, a camsurface 56 is formed on the depending member 56 which engages the lug 35and forces the spring 3'! outwardly, while the member 56 is c1earingsaid lug. By means of this construction, the switch can be reset afterthe finger 25 rides upon the outer surface 35 of the cam 32. As soon asthe cam 56 passes the lug 39, the said lug springs back and release ofthe thumb piece 59 causes weight 50 to again bring the projection 51 torest upon the lug 39.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The contacts 53 and 54 are connected through suitable flexible leads 68with the circuit with which the switch is to be used. This may beaccomplished by means of suitable plugs, not shown, or in any otherdesirable manner. If the circuit is to be turned on at a particulartime, the thumb piece 59 is turned in the direction shown in Fig. 1 andthe shaft 5s moved toward the right, as shown in that figure, until theprojeotion 5T rests upon the lug 39 of spring 31. The arbor 2% is nowturned through the knob 3I until the pointer 42 comes opposite thedesired time of day noted on the dial 43, at which the switch is to beoperated. When this time arrives, finger 26 on arbor 24 enters intonotch 35 in cam 32 and the said cam, through theaction of spring 31, ismoved axially along arbor 24 toward the face or front wall I2 of thecase II of the clock. This allows the lug 39 on spring 31 to bewithdrawn from engagement with the projection 5'! and arm 45 through theaction of weight 68 drops, swinging the mounting 44 to the left andtilting the switch 58 until the mercury 55 in tube 52 reaches thecontacts 53 and 54 and bridges across the same. The circuit is nowcompleted and the radio or other appliance to be actuated is energized.If it is desired to turn off the radio or other appliance at aparticular time, the thumb piece 59 is turned toward the left, as shownin Fig. 2 and the same procedure adopted. The degree of rotation ofmounting 44 is limited by the pin 63 when the same engages the lugs 64.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a modification of the invention. In thisform of the invention, the clock and actuating mechanism for the arborsupporting the switch is the same as that shown in the other form of theinvention and the description thereof will not be repeated. Thecorresponding parts in this form of the invention are indicated by thesame reference numerals as used for the parts of the form of theinvention previously described, except that the digit 1 has beenprefixed to such reference numbers.

In the form of the; invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the arbor I4! isjournaled in the frames I21 and I28, but has an extension I II whichprojects through the rear wall II3 of case III. On this extension isrotatably mounted a sleeve I12 which has a flange I13 attached theretoand projecting outwardly therefrom. Mounted on the extension IIIadjacent the frame I28 is a hub I74 which is provided with a spring diskI15 adapted to bear against the flange I13. By means of thisconstruction, friction is afforded between the sleeve I12 and theextension I'll, whereby said sleeve is supported in rotatably adjustedposition relative to the arbor I41. A nut I16, screwed upon the end ofthe extension I'll, engages the end of the sleeve I72 and urges theflange I13 into engagement with the disk I15. A knob IT! is secured tothe protruding end of the sleeve I72 by means of a set screw I78 andserves to rotate the sleeve I72. This knob has a pointer I79 on it bymeans of which the position of the parts carried by the sleeve will beknown from the exterior of the clock. The movement of the sleeve I12 islimited by means of a lug I8I extending outwardly from flange I13 whichis adapted to engage either of two ears I82 formed on the disk I75.

The mounting I44 for the tube I50 is identical with that shown in Fig.1, excepting that clip 6| is omitted. This mounting is directly attachedto the sleeve I12 by soldering or otherwise, as indicated at I83. Whenthe sleeve I12 is rotated, switch I50 can be moved from the full-lineposition shown in Fig. 5 to the dotted-line position in which the tubeis moved end for end. Thus, it will become apparent that the switch maybe arranged to either open or close upon release by the clock mechanism.It will be noted that the switch I53 is disposed exteriorly of the frame528. To accommodate this arrangement of parts, the case I II is madeslightly wider than the case I 5 shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

For resetting the switch mechanism, a lever I 84 is employed which isattached to the arm I46 at the locality of the arbor Id'l. This leverprojects upwardly through a slot E52 in the upper wall II 5 of case IIIand is provided with a knob I59 by means of which the same may bemanipulated. This lever and knob serve the same purpose as the shaft 58and thumb piece 5% of the other form of the invention.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 issimilar to that previously described. Reversal of operation of theswitch mechanism is procured through rotation of the knob Ill bychanging the position of the switch 53 from its full-line position shownin Fig. 5 to its dotted-line position shown in the same figure. The backII3 of case I II is provided with suitable legend indicating theoperation of the switch, so that the operator may know by the positionof the; pointer I!!! whether or not the switch is arranged for openingor closing action upon release by the clockwork.

The advantages of my invention are manifest. The device is extremelysimple and can be constructed at a nominal expense. By the use of amercury switch, the mechanism will operate continuously withoutinterruption or failure. The same mechanism will serve to either open orclose the circuit as the operator desires. Suitable legend. marked onthe case of the clock indicates whether the device is set for opening orclosing of the circuit. The switch mechanism can be reset at any timeafter the clock has run for a suitable length of time beyond the time ofthe release position. 1

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein described, maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

In a time controlled switch mechanism, a mounting, means for pivotingsaid mounting for movement in opposite directions about a horizontalaxis, a switch carried by the mounting and disposed above the axisthereof and extending in a substantially horizontal direction, saidswitch opening upon movement of the mounting in one direction andclosing upon movement of the mounting in the other direction and meansfor changing the position of said switch from above T the axis to aposition below the axis to move the switch end for end to reverse theoperation of the switch and time controlled means for controlling themovement of the mounting.

REUBEN W. LOVERING.

